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Born and raised in New Orleans to a U.S. Naval officer father and a nurse mother, Derrick Townsend is the great-grandson of a Sicilian immigrant. He learned the value of service and hard work early. Derrick earned his master's degree from Louisiana Health Sciences Center and became a licensed Occupational Therapist with a certification in Aging in Place. For over 18 years, he has helped elderly and disabled residents live safely and independently in their own homes.
Meet Derrick
Son. Brother. athlete. dog dad.
After Hurricane Katrina, he founded a marketing and tourism firm to help rebuild New Orleans. He also invested in local restaurants and a tequila company that expanded from three cities to twenty-two countries.
The tragic loss of his younger brother at the age of 23 to a fentanyl overdose which changed everything. On the day he carried his brother's casket, Derrick promised his mother and everyone present that he would not let this happen to other families.
Upon moving to Southern California, he saw millions of dollars flowing into nonprofits and programs meant to help people on the streets, yet those same people were not receiving real help. Instead, the system appeared to profit off their suffering. The more he engaged with local politics, the more he witnessed a broken, corrupt system that favors big donors and cycles money through an ineffective bureaucracy.
Living a health and wellness focused life made finding a home in Santa Monica a natural choice for Derrick.
He has been proud to call Santa Monica Home for seven years where he enjoys the beautiful nightly sunsets on the beach with his three-year-old rescue dog, Frank.
A proud member of the middle class, Derrick works forty hours a week at the service of those who are the most vulnerable. He wants to represent the people who are too busy with jobs, family, and daily life to stay deeply engaged in politics—those who feel their voices are no longer heard and their votes no longer matter. He is running for Santa Monica City Council to break the system, not become part of it.
“Santa Monica will be my forever home. I want to raise a family here, and I’m committed to building a safe, high-trust city where everyone can live, work, and flourish.”
Thank you for making this campaign possible.
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